Editor’s note: Photos from this event can be found here.
Stellar Snacks, the first woman-owned pretzel manufacturer in the United States, today marked the grand opening of its new manufacturing facility in the Park Hill neighborhood. The company invested $137 million in an existing 434,000-square-foot building along Dixie Highway, making it the largest economic development project ever on record in West Louisville.
Mayor Craig Greenberg, along with Gov. Andy Beshear and other officials, joined Stellar Snacks’ founders Elisabeth and Gina Galvin to celebrate the start of production at the company’s largest industrial pretzel bakery.
“Stellar Snacks’ decision to invest in West Louisville and create quality jobs for local residents is a testament to their commitment to building and growing in our community. This project is crucial, bringing much-needed job opportunities to a traditionally underserved area of our city. We are excited to see the positive impact this investment will have on our city and our residents,” said Mayor Greenberg.
The project is expected to create 350 full-time jobs over the next 10 years, and the company has focused on hiring residents from West Louisville. The company has completed the first round of hiring, bringing on brought on 53 employees, nearly half of whom currently live in West Louisville neighborhoods. Additional hiring information, including details on upcoming job fairs and available positions, will be available at StellarSnacks.com/louisville.
“From the very beginning, we made a conscious decision to invest in the talent that exists right here in Louisville,” said Elisabeth Galvin, founder of Stellar Snacks. “We’re proud that nearly half of our new team members currently live in Louisville’s West End, where we operate, and some can even walk to work. With every milestone, we are committed to ensuring that our growth benefits the neighborhood and its residents, and we’re excited to continue this journey together.”
“Our plan is to scale our operations and team sustainably, always keeping our core values at the heart of our growth,” said Gina Galvin, marketing and advocacy director of Stellar Snacks. “Hiring locally, especially from West Louisville, is not only part of our commitment to the community but a vital element of how we plan to grow together, prosper together, and create meaningful opportunities for our neighbors.”
In 2025, the company leaders will expand its commitment to career development through partnerships with local community colleges and trade schools to provide real-word work experience and positions for students pursuing careers in industrial, electrical and robotic engineering. Additionally, Stellar Snacks is supporting the local arts community by partnering with local artists to create designs for their pretzel packaging. The company is expected to launch a new flavor with packaging designed by Louisville artist Jaylin Monet Stewart by the end of this year.
The company received state support for rail access to the building and in the form of per-job grants with added benefits for the hiring of individuals who reside in the nine neighborhoods that comprise the West End Opportunity area.
“Today’s ribbon cutting event marks an incredible moment for Kentucky and the West Louisville community as we celebrate the next step for Stellar Snacks here in the commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “This project marks the single largest investment and job-creation project in the community over the last several decades, with Stellar Snacks having already started hiring and filling their open positions at this new facility. Stellar Snacks is a perfect fit for this community and the commonwealth, and I cannot wait to see the company’s next steps as they continue to grow here in Kentucky.”
Stellar Snacks also received support from local utilities partners, including LG&E, to enable their operations.
“We’re proud to have played our part as the energy provider in the successful launch of Steller Snacks here in West Louisville, which will have a dramatic, positive impact on the economy of this entire area,” said LG&E and KU President John R. Crockett III. “With this new, first-class manufacturing facility, Stellar Snacks had specific energy needs and timelines, and we’re glad we could meet those needs safely and reliably.”
Founded in 2019 by mother-daughter duo, Elisabeth and Gina Galvin, Stellar Snacks bakes non-GMO, vegan pretzels with sustainably sourced wholesome ingredients and a variety of gourmet flavors – Simply Stellar, Maui Monk, Bold & Herby, French Dijon, and Sweet & Sparky. It distributes products to more than 5,000 grocery and retail stores nationwide with products also sold online and offered during in-flight snack service on Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and Emirates Airlines. Stellar Snacks is certified woman-owned by the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC).
For more information about Stellar Snacks, please visit Stellar Snacks’ website.
